August 7, 2007

Bird flu threatens feed supply to Indian poultry
 

Indian farmers operating outside the quarantine zone around the farm recently hit by bird flu in Manipur state have not been spared from the negative impact of the disease.

With local authorities banning transport of poultry feed across state borders in response to the outbreak, poultry farmers in Manipur have found themselves cut off from feed supplies coming from West Bengal state through Assam and Nagaland.

A farmer has even expressed concerns that there was only enough feed stock remaining to last for another week.

Faced with the grim prospect of losing their chickens to starvation, local farmers have the only available alternative of culling their birds, although government compensation is a mere Rs30 (US$0.7463) for each full grown broiler culled.

In response, some 250 local farmers have formed the All Manipur Poultry Farmers and Traders Association to voice their concerns to authorities and call for the region to be declared bird flu-free as soon as possible to allow the resumption of normal business.